Approaches to transformation
Theoretically speaking, there can be three main approaches to change:
The first approach, a kind of evolutionary approach, suggests that human society has been developing gradually throughout the history and the growth of knowledge, and thus science and technology, are the major factors in development. Anthropologists and historians have often divided the history of society into stages of growth on the basis of knowledge, especially the tools and techniques of production. This is, however, a positive (scientific) approach that aims to explain the evolution of society. Marx too used this approach and showed how the internal contradictions of society, which are the major source of change, are related to development of mode of production. In this approach, there is a kind of inevitability of development and the researchers assume that efforts to improve human condition are primarily objective and history does not change due to ideas or actions of a small group of people. The second and third approaches are normative. They begin with a definite view of the future of mankind. Then they look for ways of transformation. In doing this the second approach lends more credence to certain qualities of individuals and the third approach lends more credence to need to change the social institutions.
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